This invention relates generally to surgical devices and, more particularly, to an improved elastic surgical ring clip and an improved ring loader for placing one or more elastic surgical rings onto the distal end of a ring applicator device. The elastic surgical ring clip is made of an elastic material and is configured so as to provide a clip having significantly increased, compressive or elastic strength. The ring loader includes a conically shaped ring expander onto which elastic surgical rings are loaded and a ring dilator having a plurality of fingers which engage the ring and push it up and over the ring expander and onto the distal end of a ring applicator device.
There are several prior art patents which disclose somewhat related elastic surgical clips and loading devices. The more relevant patents in the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,188 issued to Coy L. Lay, deceased et al and my own prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,201. The Lay patent is directed to an elastic band designed and dimensioned for tying off human fallopian tubes or similar, anatomical tubular members. My prior patent shows an improved, elastic ligating ring clip and a ring loader for placing elastic rings onto the distal end of a ring applicator device including a conical ring expander and a ring dilator in the form of thin, flexible posts joined in pairs radiating from a deformable, elastic ring engaging aperture.
Nothing in the prior art discloses the surgical clip constructions of this invention which include an elastic body of a configuration which imparts greatly increased compressive or elastic strength to the elastic clip and a ring loader for placing one or more elastic surgical ring clips onto the distal end of a ring applicator device including a conical ring expander and a conical ring dilator having a plurality of fingers for pushing each ring along and over the expander and onto the distal end of a ring applicator device.